Supply air terminal device and method for regulating the airflow rate

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a supply air terminal device ( 10 ) and a method for regulating the airflow rate. The supply air terminal device ( 10 ) comprises a heat exchanger ( 11 ), with which a circulated airflow (L 2 ) conducted from a room can be either cooled or heated. The supply air terminal device ( 10 ) comprises a mixing chamber ( 12 ), into which mixing chamber ( 12 ) the air chamber&#39;s ( 15 ) nozzles ( 16   a   1   , 16   a   2    . . . 16   a   n ) or a flow gap ( 16 ) open to conduct a primary airflow (L 1 ) into the mixing chamber ( 12 ), whereby the primary airflow (L 1 ) from the nozzles ( 16   a   1   , 16   a   2    . . . 16   a   n ) or through the flow gap ( 16 ) as a flow (Q s ) will induce a circulated airflow (L 2 ) from the room (H) to flow through the heat exchanger ( 11 ) into the mixing chamber ( 12 ). The combined airflow (L 1 +L 2 ) is conducted into the room (H). The supply air terminal device ( 10 ) comprises a regulator ( 100 ) bypassing the nozzles ( 16   a   1   , 16   a   2    . . . 16   a   n ) or the flow gap ( 16 ) to regulate an airflow (Q 3 ) passing through the regulator ( 100 ), with which, depending on the purpose of use of the room, it is possible to regulate the total airflow (ΣQ) of the fresh primary air (Q 3 +Q s ) supplied from outside the supply air terminal device.

The invention concerns a supply air terminal device and a method for regulating the airflow rate.

Known in the state of the art are supply air terminal device solutions, wherein fresh supply air, that is, primary air, is conducted from outside into a supply air chamber and is made to flow from the supply air chamber through nozzles into a mixing chamber, whereby said airflow conducted from nozzles will induce a circulated airflow, that is, a secondary airflow, from the room to flow through a heat exchanger into a mixing chamber. In the heat exchanger, the circulated air flow is either heated or cooled. From the mixing chamber the fresh supply airflow and the circulated airflow are made to flow combined back into the room space H.

It has been a difficulty in the state-of-the-art solutions how to achieve a sufficiently large airflow rate range with the same device. This problem has been solved in the state-of-the-art solution in such a way that the nozzles have been exchangeable, whereby a device of a certain type has been able to comprise a high number of nozzle series, expanding on the installation, it has hereby been possible to choose the desired nozzles series to be suitable for each installation purpose and airflow rate.

However, it has been another difficulty in the above-mentioned solutions that a certain number of nozzle series has not either been sufficient to implement a sufficiently large airflow rate range for a certain type of device.

This application presents an improvement on the above-mentioned problem. The invention proposes the use of a separate regulator, with the aid of which the desired airflow rate can be regulated. The regulator can be a manual regulating damper or solve or an electrically controlled regulating damper or valve. The supply air chamber comprises nozzles and a separate regulator for regulating the bypass flow of said nozzles and thus for regulating the total flow rate of the fresh primary air brought from outside into the room. The primary air is conducted into a supply air chamber with the aid of a blowing fan along a tube fitting from the outside air. By using the regulator the total flow rate ΣQ (1/s) of the device is determined, that is, the sum of primary air rate Q_(s) (1/s) arriving from the nozzles and the primary air rate Q₃ (1/s) made to flow through the regulator. The opening range of the regulator is largest in the supply air system, wherein a constant pressure is maintained in the duct system, for example, by a constant pressure regulator.

A so-called minimum air rate must flow through the nozzles all the time in order to induce the circulated airflow and in this way to achieve a sufficient cooling and heating power. By opening the regulator the total flow rate (ΣQ=Q₃+Q_(s)) can be increased 1 . . . 6 times compared with the minimum.

The supply air terminal device and the method for regulating the airflow rate according to the invention are characterised by the features presented in the claims.

The invention will be described in the following by referring to some advantageous embodiments of the invention, which are shown in the figures of the appended drawings, but the intention is not to restrict the invention to these only.

FIG. 1A shows a state-of-the-art operating embodiment herein the supply air terminal device is fitted in an office room and the need for air to be supplied from the supply air terminal device is within a range of 1.5 . . . 2 liters/square metre.

FIG. 1B shows an operating embodiments where the supply air terminal device is fitted in a room sued as a room for negotiations.

FIG. 2A shows an embodiment of the supply air terminal device where the supply air terminal device is fitted in the ceiling of a room and in which embodiment the supply air terminal device comprises a bottom plate closing the device from below. The presentation is cut open at the end to show the internal components.

FIG. 2B is a sectional view along line I-I of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2C shows a structure otherwise corresponding with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, but with one elongate flow gap instead of the nozzles.

FIG. 3A shows an embodiment of the invention, wherein the supply air terminal device is a structure closed on the sides and on top and fitted to a suspended ceiling to make the air flow horizontally in the direction of the surface of the suspended ceiling. The presentation is cut open at the end to show the internal components.

FIG. 3B is a sectional view along line II-II of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 3C shows a structure otherwise corresponding with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, but with one elongate flow gap instead of the nozzles.

FIG. 4A shows an embodiment corresponding with FIGS. 3A, 3B, but in this device solution the regulator is fitted into an airflow supply tube fitting connected to an air chamber 15.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the nozzles are replaced by an elongate nozzle gap. The operation is otherwise similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 is an illustrating view of the regulator's valve disc.

FIG. 6 is an illustrating view of an embodiment of the regulator, wherein the regulator comprises a remote-controlled actuator moving a closing part to close and open the flow.

FIG. 7 shows the regulator 500 in principle as a constant pressure regulator, which regulates the desired pressure Δp on the output side in the duct system 150 and in the air chamber 15.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are illustrative views of two different operating embodiments of the supply air terminal device as regards the state of the art.

In the structure according to FIG. 1A, there is a room H intended as an office room and requiring air from the supply air terminal deice within a range of 1.5-2 liters/sq.m.

FIG. 1B shows a room H2 functioning as a negotiation room, whereby the air rate needed in the room is estimated to be within a range of 5-6 litres/sq.m. The devices are ordered ready-made from the factory, whereby the number and size of the nozzles are chosen according to the predetermined purpose of use of the room. Thus, for example, some nozzles are closed by plugs to have the desired air rate.

Such a situation will be problematic where the rooms in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B will be used for some other purpose. In the case of, for example, a big office house the change may concern several hundred rooms and thus even more supply air terminal devices.

In this application such a solution of the supply air terminal device is formed, where the device solution comprises a separate airflow rate regulator 100, which can be used to set the desired total airflow ΣQ entering the room by arranging a bypassing circulation for a required part of the airflow through the regulator 100. Thus, the regulator 100 forms a regulating valve or regulating damper, which can be set in advance or afterwards and through which the desired total airflow ΣQ entering the room can be set to correspond with the room's purpose of use. Regulator 100 can be fitted into the connecting supply tube 150 of the supply air chamber or it can be fitted in the supply air chamber 15 proper. The airflow rate Q₃, which can be changed progressively by regulator 100 through valve 100, is within a range of 0 . . . 50 1/s, and the air rate Q₂ arriving through nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n) is typically within a range of 10 . . . 25 1/s, depending on the required cooling or heating effect, which is a critical magnitude for the operation. The flow ratio Q₃/Q_(s) between flows Q₃ and Q_(s) can be regulated within a range of 0 . . . 5. The maximum air flow is preferably even 6 times the minimum airflow.

In the method according to the invention, the air flow range at the supply air terminal device 10 can thus be regulated in advance or afterwards from case to case. Such a regulator 100 is preferably used, with which the airflow rate through the regulator can be regulated without steps and advantageously also by remote control. The regulator 100 hereby comprises an actuator 200, with the aid of which the position of the regulator's 100 closing part 102, for example, a valve disc, can be regulated in relation to the valve body. In this manner the opening of the valve is opened and closed and the throttling of the airflow Q₃ is increased or reduced. When the regulator is in a fully closing position, there is no bypassing flow through regulator 100 to the outside environment from inside chamber 15 or from the supply tube, but flow is only taking place through nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n) or through flow gap 16 as a flow Q_(s), and hereby the device's total air rate ΣQ of fresh air supplied from outside is at a minimum. When regulator 100 is in the opposite position, that is, fully open, the maximum airflow Q₃ is achieved through regulator 100 and hereby the device's total airflow rate ΣQ=Q_(s)+Q₃ is at its maximum.

As is shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, the supply air terminal device 10 comprises a heat exchanger 11. Using the heat exchanger 11 the circulated airflow conducted from room H, that is, the secondary airflow L₂, can be either cooled or heated. A mixing chamber 12 is formed in between the side plate 13 a and bottom plate 13 b of body structure 13 and the heat exchanger 11. In one end, the mixing chamber comprises an opening A into the room space H. The air chamber 15 of supply air terminal device 10 also comprises nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n). The figure shows one nozzle; nozzle 16 a ₁. There are preferably several nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . side by side in the device.

FIGS. 2A, 2B show an embodiment of the device according to the invention fitted on to the suspended ceiling of the room. The airflow rate of flow Q₃ bypassing the nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n) through regulator 100 can be regulated without steps by regulator 100. As is shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, the supply air terminal device 10 comprises a heat exchanger 11. The circulated airflow conducted from heat exchanger 11 out of room H, that is, the secondary airflow L₂, can be either cooled or heated. A mixing chamber 12 is formed in between the side plate 13 a and the bottom plate 13 b of body structure 13. The mixing chamber 15 comprise in its one end in opening A into the room space H. The airflow passing through heat exchanger 11 is indicated by arrows L₂ and the airflow arriving from nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n) is indicated by arrow L₁. The combined airflow L₁+L₂ is made to flow obliquely upward from the device. As shown in the figure, regulator 100 is formed by a valve comprising a stem 101 and a valve disc 102. By rotating the valve disc 102 the stem 101 is made to turn in its counter-fastening means 103, preferably in a threaded hole Q, and to close and open flow opening B, as is shown by arrow S₁. The airflow rate Q₃ made to flow past through valve 100 can be regulated progressively within a range of 0 . . . 50 1/s. The airflow rate Q_(s) arriving through nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n) is typically within a range of 10 . . . 25 1/s, depending on the required cooling or heating effect, which is a critical magnitude for the operation. ΣQ=Q₃+Q_(s) is within a range of 10-75 1/s. Q₃/Q_(s) is within a range of 0-5.

FIG. 2C shows a structure otherwise similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, but with an elongate flow gap 16 instead of the nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . .

FIGS. 3A, 3B show another embodiment of the device according to the invention, wherein regulator 100 is fitted in connection with air chamber 15 and to open into a space between heat exchanger 11 and air chamber 15. Regulator 100 comprises a valve disc 102 and a valve stem 101, which can be turned in a threaded hole e in counter-fastening means 103. The bypassing flow Q₃ is controlled in this manner. Speaking of bypassing flow regulation, bypassing flow means that flow rate Q₃, which is not made to flow through nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n), but said nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n) are hereby bypassed. By regulating the bypassing flow Q₃ the total airflow ΣQ of the device is thus regulated, that is, the sum flow ΣQ=Q₃+Q_(s) of air made to flow through the nozzles and the air conducted through the regulator 100.

In the device solution of FIGS. 3A, 3B, the heat exchanger 11, with which the circulated airflow L₂ from room H can be cooled or heated, is fitted centrally in the structure below the air chamber 15, and the airflow arriving through nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n) is indicated by arrows L₁ in the embodiment shown in the figure, while the circulated airflow of the room H is indicated by arrows L₂. The combined airflow L₁+L₂ is made to flow to the side from device 10 and preferably in the direction of the suspended ceiling horizontally. The device in the figure is a structure open at the bottom and at the side and closed at the top. In the device solution, when the device is in its place of operation on the suspended ceiling, room air L₂ is drawn from below upwards to the heat exchanger 11 and further, induced by the fresh airflow L₁ brought from outside and made to flow through nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n), the circulated airflow L₂ is conducted into the mixing chamber 12 in between the body plate 13 a and the guide plate 13 c and to the side away from the location of the device as a combined airflow L₁+L₂.

FIG. 3C shows a structure otherwise similar to the one in FIGS. 3A and 3B, but with an elongate flow gap 16 instead of the nozzles.

FIG. 4A shows a third advantageous embodiment of the invention, wherein a bypassing flow regulator 100 is fitted in a connecting tube fitting 150 leading into a supply air chamber 15. In the embodiment of FIG. 4A, the regulator 100 is shown as a mechanical regulating device of a corresponding kind as in connection with FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3A, 3B.

The embodiment if FIG. 4A shows a supply air terminal device 10. Room air is circulated from room H as shown by arrow L₂ through a heat exchanger 11. With the aid of a blowing fan P₁ (in FIG. 7) air is made to flow from outside into an air chamber 15 and further through nozzles 16 a ₁, . . . 16 a ₂ . . . located therein (arrows L₁) into a mixing chamber 12. When arriving in the mixing chamber 12, the airflow L₁ induces a circulated airflow L₂ to flow through the heat exchanger 11. In heat exchanger 21, the circulated airflow L₂ is either cooled or heated. The airflows L₁ and L₂ are combined in mixing chamber 12 and the combined airflow L₁+L₂ is made to flow away from the location of the device, preferably horizontally in the direction of the suspended ceiling. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the heat exchanger 11 is located centrally in the structure and the air chamber 15 is located above the heat exchanger when the device is at its place of operation on the suspended ceiling. The mixing chambers 12 are located at both sides of the heat exchanger 11 and the device is symmetrical in relation to a vertical central axis Y, which thus is the device's axis of symmetry. Thus, the presented device 10 is a structure which is open below and on the sides and closed at the top. The connecting tube fitting 150 leading into the supply air chamber 15 comprises a regulator 100 and by regulating this the airflow Q₃ can be conducted out of the connecting tube fitting into room H, and thus the nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n) can be moved as shown by arrow S₁ towards opening B of air chamber 15 and away from the opening. When valve disc 102 is at the level of plate 15 a, the airflow Q₃ is closed, and there is an airflow through the nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n) only as an airflow Q_(s), whereby the total airflow ΣQ=Q₃−Q_(s) will hereby be at its minimum valve. Correspondingly, when the valve disc 102 is moved in such a way that the flow opening B is as open as possible and the valve disc 102 is as far away as possible from the air chamber's 15 plate 15 a, the airflow Q₃ will be at its maximum valve. It is hereby advantageous that a constant pressure exists in duct 150 and thus in chamber 15, whereby the device comprises a constant pressure regulator 500, as is presented in FIG. 7.

As is shown in FIG. 4B, the nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n) are replaced by an elongate nozzle gap 16. In other respects the operation is the same as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 sows a regulator 100 in connection with an air chamber 15 or a connecting tube fitting 150. A counter-fastening means 103 comprises a threaded hole e, into which a stem 101 can be screwed by its threads (arrow D₁) and thus moved in the direction of arrow S₁ in order to regulate the throttling of airflow Q₃.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the regulator 100, where the regulator 100 comprises an actuator 200, which closes and opens a closing part 102, such as a valve disc, and which receives its control, for example, from the room space H. Actuator 200 may be an electrically working actuator. Thus it is possible from the room, where the supply air terminal device 10 is located, with a switch 300 to regulate the bypass flow Q₃ at each time progressively. Actuator 200 is suspended with a clamp R in air chamber 15. The linear direction of motion of valve disc 102 is indicated by arrows S₁ in the presentations of the figures.

FIG. 7 is a view in principle, wherein a connecting supply fitting 150 comprises in the same context a constant pressure regulator 500 in duct P on the pressure side of a blowing fan P1. The blowing fan P1 is adapted to draw air from outside U into duct P and further as a primary airflow Q_(s), Q₃, which primary airflow Q_(s), Q₃ is conducted into room H from a supply air chamber through nozzles 16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . or through a nozzle gap 16 and a regulator 100. The constant pressure regulator 500 works to keep the pressure ΔP on the output side of the constant pressure regulator 500 (looking in the direction of travel of the airflow) at its controllable constant pressure value, that is, at a constant pressure value, irrespective at each time of the regulator's 100 opening and thus the air rate Q₃. 

1. Supply air terminal device (10), which comprises a heat exchanger (11), with which a circulated airflow (L₂) conducted from a room can be either cooled or heated, and which supply air terminal device (10) comprises a mixing chamber (12), into which mixing chamber (12) an air chamber's (15) nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ , , , 16 a _(n)) or a flow gap (16) open to conduct a primary airflow (L₁) into the mixing chamber (12), whereby the primary airflow (L₁) from the nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n)) or through the flow gap (16) as a flow (Q_(s)) induces a circulated airflow (L₂) from the room (H) to flow through the heat exchanger (11) into the mixing chamber (12), whereby a combined airflow (L₁+L₂) is conducted into the room (H), wherein the supply air terminal device (10) comprises a regulator (100) bypassing the nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n)) or the flow gap (16) to regulate an airflow (Q₃) flowing through the regulator (100), with which according to the purposes of use of the room it is possible to regulate the total airflow (ΣQ) of the fresh primary air (Q₃+Q_(s)) supplied from outside the supply air terminal deice.
 2. Supply air terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the regulator (100) regulating the flow bypassing the nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . ) or the flow gap (16) is fitted in the air chamber (15).
 3. Supply air terminal device according to claim 1, wherein when the supply air terminal device (10) is in its place of operation in the ceiling, the nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . ) or the flow gap (16) are located above a covering plate (13 b) closing the device from below, whereby the heat exchanger (11), with which the circulated airflow (L₂) conducted from the room (H) can be either cooled or heated, is also fitted above said covering plate (13 a), and that the nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n)) or the flow gap (16) conduct the airflow (L₁) upwards and that the circulated airflow (L₂) arrives at the heat exchanger (11) from the side and that a combined airflow (L₁+L₂) flows from the device through a discharge duct (A) upwards and that the regulator (100) is fitted in a plate (15 a) located above the chamber (15) of the supply air terminal device.
 4. Supply air terminal device (10) according to claim 1, wherein when the supply air terminal device (10) is in its place or operation on a suspended ceiling, the supply air terminal device is a structure which is closed at the sides and at the top, and it comprises a central heat exchanger (11), with the aid of which the room's circulated airflow (L₂) can be either cooled or heated, and that the airflow (L₂) is conducted to the heat exchanger (11) from the room (H) from below and that the air chamber (15) comprises nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . ) or a flow gap (16), which direct the airflow (L₁) downwards into a mixing chamber (12), wherein the circulated airflow (L₂) and the airflow (L₁) from the nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n)) or the flow gap (16) are combined, whereby the combined airflow (L₁+L₂) is made to flow away from the device, and that the regulator (100) is fitted in between the heat exchanger (11) and the air chamber (15) and to make the airflow flow to the side directed by the regulator's (100) closing part (102).
 5. Supply air terminal device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the supply air terminal device (10) in a tube fitting connected to the supply air chamber (15) comprises a regulator (100) for regulating a bypassing flow (Q3) conducted to the room (H), and thus for regulating the total airflow (ΣQ=Q₃+Q_(s)) into the room space (H).
 6. Supply air terminal device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the airflow rate (Q₃) made to flow through the regulator (100) is within a range of 0 . . . 50 1/s, and the airflow (Q_(s)) of the nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n)) or the flow gap (16) is within a range of 10 . . . 25 1/s, and the total airflow (ΣQ) conducted through the supply air terminal device (10) is within a range of 10 . . . 75 1/s.
 7. Supply air terminal device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the flow ratio (Q₃/Q_(s)) between the bypassing airflow regulator (100) and the airflow (Q, 1/s) conducted through the nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n)) or the flow gap (16) is within a range of 0 . . .
 5. 8. Supply air terminal device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the bypassing flow (Q₃) taking place through the regulator (100) can be regulated progressively.
 9. Supply air terminal device (10) according to claim 1, wherein when the regulator (100) is in the fully closed position, there is not bypassing flow through that regulator (100), but there is only a flow (Q_(s)) through the nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . ) or the flow gap (16), and hereby the total air rate (ΣQ) of the device is at its minimum, and when the regulator (100) is in the fully open position the maximum airflow (Q₃) is achieved through the regulator (100), and hereby the total air rate (ΣQ) of the device is also at its maximum.
 10. Supply air terminal device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the supply air terminal device (10) comprises in the same context in a duct (P) connected thereto a constant pressure regulator (500), which is used to maintain a constant pressure at the input side of regulator (100) and at the input side of the nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n)) or the flow gap (16) at the value regulated by the regular (500).
 11. Method for regulating the airflow rate in a supply air terminal device (10), which supply air terminal device (10) comprises a heat exchanger (11) in the body structure (13) context, and which supply air terminal device (10) comprises a mixing chamber (12), and that nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . ) or a flow gap (16) open into the mixing chamber (12) to conduct a primary airflow (L₁) conducted from outside from the air chamber (15) into the mixing chamber (12), whereby the primary airflow (L₁) will induce a circulated airflow (L₂) from the room (H) to flow through the heat exchanger (11), with which heat exchanger the airflow (L₂) from the room (H) is either cooled or heated, wherein the total air rate (ΣQ) of the fresh primary airflow Q₃+Q_(s) conducted from outside is regulated by regulating the regulator (100) bypassing the nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n)) and thus the airflow rate Q₃ (1/s) through said regulator (100) into the room (H).
 12. Method according to claim 11, wherein the airflow rate (Q₃) made to flow through the regulator (100) is within a range of 0 . . . 50 1/s and the airflow (Q_(s)) conducted through the nozzles (16 a ₁, 16 a ₂ . . . 16 a _(n)) or the flow gap (16) is within a range of 10 . . . 25 1/s, and the total airflow (ΣQ) conducted through the supply air terminal device (10) is regulated within a range of 10 . . . 75 1/s.
 13. Method according claim 11, wherein in the method the flow ratio (Q₃/Q_(s)) is regulated progressively within a range of 0 . . .
 5. 14. Method according to any preceding claim 11, wherein the regulator (100) is remotely operated and its is controlled electrically, whereby the regulator (100) comprises an actuator (200) for moving a closing part (102) of the regulator (100) and for regulating the airflow rate (Q₃).
 15. Method according to claim 11, wherein the method uses a constant pressure regulator (500) in a duct (P) connected to the air chamber (15) of the supply air terminal device (10) to maintain a controllable constant pressure at its regulated constant value irrespective of the opening of the regulator (100). 